This is a tutorial put together by radar3d not myself but, it is accurate and detailed also it is all correct so instead of me typing it all out I will just post this. Use at your own risk I am not responsible if you brick your phone but I can help you unbrick it.

I have put together what i hope is a complete how to root 2.1 guide. To flash mbm's SPrecovery, Install SU access and install busybox.

This Guide is for NON-Rooted 2.1 phones not for 2.0.1 or 2.2 phones!!!

Not all credit for this is mine. I copied bits and parts from here and there. Besides the parts I stole mbm and sgx helped out allot too.
Install SPrecovery:

Edit: 08MAY2010 (nandroid recommendations)

IF YOU ARE NOT USING LINUX SKIP DOWN TO DOWNLOADING RSDlite:
For those of you trying to flash via a VirtualBox in Linux you have to add three devices to your USB settings prior to beginning.
Add the three devices as below: If not using LINUX Virtual Box IGNORE THIS!!!

If you are running Windows7 64 bit (RSDlite is picky but these steps may help):
1. Make sure you download and install the 64 bit drivers.
2. Place the "SPRecovery_ESE81.sbf" on the root of your C:\
3. Navigate to your "C:\Program Files\Motorola\RSD lite\" folder
4. right click on SDL.exe file and select run as administrator

navigate to the and select .sbf file you downloaded above.
Power off your phone.

Slide keyboard open.

Connect USB cable between phone and computer.

Press up on D-Pad Normally your phone will turn on when you plug it in so you need to press up on D-Pad immediately, then if it did not come on, while holding up on the D-Pad Power up your phone.

Your phone should say:
Battery ok
OK to program
Transfer Mode:
USB

Then in rsdlite you may have to hit show device. If it does not show up you may need to reboot your computer, or reinstall rsdlite or something else is wrong.

In RSDlite you should now see your phone connected if not select “show device” .
Press “Start”

Your phone will reboot at about the 26% spot in the progression (this is normal for THIS .sbf)
once your phone reboots you are done and you can close RSDlite even though it will warn you that you could ruin your phone.

You now have Sprecovery installed on your 2.1 phone.

Note: I recommend at this point that you make an advanced nandroid backup of your phone
so that should you decide to un-root your phone you can do it easily.
1. reboot phone while holding down "x"
2. perform nandroid backup (pictures below)

rename the file to simply update.zip (make sure it is "update.zip" NOT NOT NOT "update.zip.zip")

connect your phone to PC

copy the update.zip file to the root of your sdcard (/sdcard = not in a folder)

reboot your phone into recovery by shutting it off and turning it back on while holding down "x"

scroll down to install, and then click on ALLOW update.zip from sdcard

then select to APPLY update.zip from sdcard (deprecated)

watch the status it should go through the process and then say reboot to continue

reboot phone

Install Busybox:

Reboot phone into normal mode and open terminal emulator (you can download one for free from the android market if you haven't already. I use "Android Terminal Emulator" but you could us a different one I assume)

type "su" (no quotes)

a popup should show up asking for root/su permissions

click on the checkbox

click on allow should get a # cursor

run the next two commands
Code:
cd /system/busy

sh install-busybox.sh

the previous command should end by saying reboot phone to complete

type "reboot" (no quotes)

Reboots the Droid

To verify it worked go back into terminal emulator and type "busybox" (no quotes)

if it scrolls a bunch of info about busybox it worked

Note: I highly recommend you make another nandroid backup at this point, name it something like 2.1_rooted_fresh or whatever you like just so you know which one it is and keep the two nandroids made here in a safe place even if you move them off of your sdcard to a pc for storage. This way if you get crazy with ROMs or Themes and something goes awry you can get back to ground zero easily.

You're Done!!!

When done you should be able to install a ROM if you want to, but the primary purpose for me is just so I can run apps that require root access and busybox like:

can i install froyo frf84b straight from root 2.1 or do i have to download other things first

Click to expand...

Yes you can because it is a clean install. simply be sure to wipe data at least twice. if you are using my nandroid file it will be easy and flawless. however if you do happen to run into a problem you can always ask for help and I will be happy to do so.

Downloading now.!!!! I hope it works good. I've tried Froyos doing clean wipes and all and I always end up with random reboots....Im thinking that it is the kernel. I don't know will post again after I install.

:blackdroid: BTW Im downloading from my droid and will rename and install. Does it make a difference if you download w. phone or PC???? :icon_eek: